02/07/2023
This week marked the beginning of Black History Month, a time in which we uplift the legacies and resilience of the Black diaspora across the country, as well as rejoice, imagine, and grow toward the infinite that have yet to come. Leaning into the Akan term "Sankofa," Black History Month and beyond invites us to return to or “retrieve" gems from our past to learn and build from them.
As we center joy and celebration, we also remain committed to the end of anti-Black racism and state-sanctioned violence against Black communities. As we imagine safer, more equitable futures, let us also uplift the light that was stolen from Tyre Nichols and so many others like him. May his light and memory guide our hearts in our ongoing work. To our beloved Black communities at OP, across Oakland, and beyond, we celebrate your greatness, your uniqueness, and your light. May we continue to look back into our past to shape where we're headed.
We wish you all a joyous Black History Month today, tomorrow and everyday!
Source and context: Temple, C. N. (2010). The Emergence of Sankofa Practice in the United States: A Modern History. Journal of Black Studies, 41(1), 127-150. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25704098
